Books
by amgirl
Summary: Luna Lovegood has decided it's time to grow up, but something doesn't quite feel right. Will Neville be able to make her feel complete again?


_Books_

Luna Lovegood looked rather normal for a young woman of 24. She dressed in sensible clothing with her dirty blond hair tied into a low bun and pale blue eyes slightly hidden behind black frames. You would have never guessed that she was called strange for most of her child hood, but Luna Lovegood was used to being called strange, or oddball. In fact, she was used to being called much worse, for she was teased and ridiculed throughout school, but she thought those days were behind her. After the war, she felt she had matured, shedding the gnome earring and multicolored cat-eye glasses in favor of solid colored robes and her old lion head in for a simple hair band. She had even recently taken the post as Hogwarts librarian, rather than follow in her father's footsteps at the Quibbler and now pretended to enjoy drinking tea and sitting quietly pursuing the many books now available to her.

Though, truth be told, she had always been partial to books, ever since she was a young girl. She remembered her mother reading her "Luna and the Moon Frogs" a silly book her father had written a few days after her birth, and Luna had been in love ever since. Books just tended to be so much nicer than most people she knew.

Today, Luna sitting on her usual stool, elbows on the counter in front of her as she lazily thumbed her way through a copy of "Marie and the Dragon." Class was still in session for most, so she allowed herself to be lost in her thoughts, ignoring the few students who were studying feverishly in the corner for some exam or another. That is, until she heard a rather large crash from the entrance to the library. Glancing up she saw a man on his hands and knees, cursing as he started picking up the scrolls, quills, and bottles of ink that had spilled across the floor. Smiling, she rose and went to help him.

"Language like that is not usually allowed in the library, Neville," she said in a sweet voice and she bent down to grab a bottle that was slowly rolling away. "Lucky none of these broke."

"Luna!" Neville started and looking up into those pale eyes that had unnerved him ever since he laid eyes on her his second year. "Oh, um. I had the charms teacher place a strengthening charm on the glass. You'd be amazed how often I drop these. Lost them a few minutes ago in the hallway and then they bou-" Neville realized he was babbling. "Sorry about swearing" he muttered. "I'll try to watch it next time."

Luna grinned, showing rather white teeth. Neville vaguely wondered how she managed to keep them so perfect and if she used minty or sweet toothpaste before realizing she had asked something. "Sorry?"

"I said, where would you like these, Professor Longbottom?" She winked and lifted the supplies to indicate them.

"Oh, er. Just over here is fine, thanks Luna," he said, jerking his head over to a nearby table. Luna placed the supply neatly down and smiled while she watched Neville do his best to remain calm and collected as he teetered his way over, balancing the scrolls. Dumping them unceremoniously onto the table top he muttered "I don't know why I always leave grading to the last moment. It makes me feel like a bloody fourth year all over again."

"Probably just out of habit." Luna chuckled and brushed her hair behind her ears. Neville caught sight of a small diamond earring and felt his face twitch into a slightly concerned look. Luna noticed. "What is it, Neville?"

"Nothing," said Neville quickly. "I was just thinking, you know those earrings you always wore your forth year? The ones that looked like turnips?"

Luna nodded, though her smile fell slightly. "Yes?"

"Well, I was just wondering what happened to them. You always used to dress so fan- so differently, you know. I was just wondering what happened."

Neville wished he hadn't said anything at all, as Luna's smile faded off her face completely.

"I left them, when I got my own place. I didn't want much to do with before."

They stood awkwardly for a few moments while Neville nervously bit his tongue. Clearly he had said something wrong, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what it was. What did she mean by before?

"I best be off," sighed Luna. "I need to reorganize the Charms section before classes let out."

"Best double check for Gnargles, right?" Neville tried as a faint joke. Luna gave him a small smile in return, but before she turned away he could have sworn she looked sad. But, that was silly. The Luna he remembered had never looked like that. She gave a faint wave and wandered behind some shelves while Neville became rather aware that he had very little time to do a lot of work.


End file.
